House Unanimously Approves the Hire More Heroes Act

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) today announced that bipartisan legislation to incentivize small businesses to hire veterans while at the same time providing them relief from the Affordable Care Act was unanimously approved by the House.

“I am humbled by the amount of support shown by the new Congress for my legislation to help businesses hire more of our nation’s veterans,” said Davis. “The Hire More Heroes Act is a great example of the type of bipartisan, jobs legislation that we will continue to advance on behalf of the American people. It is my hope that this legislation will receive swift action in the Senate and by the President so we can put an end to the gridlock in Washington and put our nation on solid footing for a bright future.”

“Those that have served to protect America deserve every opportunity to find good-paying jobs when they return home,” Blunt said. “I thank Congressman Davis and my colleagues in the House for their support in passing the Hire More Heroes Act, which I introduced in the Senate. I look forward to moving forward on this and other important bills to help create more jobs and opportunity for veterans and all Americans.”

"As we begin the 114th Congress, passage of this bipartisan Hire More Heroes Act, which focuses on empowering and employing our veterans, is the perfect tone to begin the year on. This legislation will help decrease the number of unemployed veterans, and support our small-business owners as they work hard to grow our economy," said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) who spoke in support of the bill. "I congratulate my friend, Rodney Davis, for his leadership on this legislation. I was honored to immediately offer my support and co-sponsor the bill, because of the important constituency that it serves - those who willingly serve and sacrifice for our nation."

“I was proud to learn that the Hire More Heroes Act was going to be one of the first priorities of the new Congress and that it passed the House today." said Lavite, Superintendent of the Madison County Veterans Assistance Commission. "This bill will provide small businesses relief from the employer mandate and an opportunity for veterans to more easily find and maintain long-term employment in their local communities. I am calling on Congress to pass and move this bill forward and am prayerful the President signs and executes this legislation. Veterans and Service Members work very hard while serving and all we are asking is they have the opportunity to bring this same work ethic back to small businesses upon discharge and return to communities across this great nation."

“Illinois small businesses appreciate Congressman Rodney Davis’s work to provide targeted relief for certain employers from Obamacare and provide greater hiring opportunities for veterans,” said Kim Maisch, NFIB IL State Director. “H.R. 22, the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, would exempt military veterans with existing health insurance coverage from the problematic 50 full-time equivalent employee threshold from the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) employer mandate requirements. This mandate is already resulting in less opportunities and lower incomes for employees and a disincentive for growth for employers.”

Background: Davis introduced H.R. 22, the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, along with more than a hundred of his colleagues earlier today. Davis first introduced the Hire More Heroes Act in November 2013, which passed the House twice last Congress. H.R. 3474 first passed the House by a vote of 406-1 on March 11, 2014 and again as part of a broad, bipartisan jobs package called the Jobs for America Act on September 18, 2014.

Additionally, Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) today introduced the senate version of the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015. Blunt was the lead sponsor of this bill in the Senate last Congress.

The Hire More Heroes Act incentivizes small businesses to hire veterans by exempting veterans who already receive health insurance through the Department of Veterans Affairs or the VA from being counted toward the number of employees required by the employer mandate under the Affordable Care Act.

Bradley A. Lavite, Superintendent of the Madison County Veteran's Assistance Commission, first shared the idea for the legislation with Davis at a Veterans Advisory Board meeting.

This legislation is supported by the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), the only military service association representing the interests of every enlisted soldier and airmen in the Army and Air National Guard, and The Retired Enlisted Association, a Congressionally-charted veterans’ service organization and the largest association in the nation of enlisted retirees and veterans from all branches of the Armed Forces.